A Field Trip to SULAWESI

[chimanta]

Hello all
Together with two Friends of mine, Dr. Andreas Wistuba an Dr. Joachim (Joe) Nerz, I was traveling to Sulawesi recently.
We were fortunate to see, film and make pictures of different Nepenthes species I would like to share with you, as for example N. hamata, tentaculata, maxima, eymae or glabrata.
Some of the hamata's were very hairy not as much as the plant Chien has discovered, but also with a red peristome and very hairy (see picture no 6 from the top). The upper pitchers of N. glabrata's we saw were - for this species and compared to the plants I have in my collection - quite huge (approx 10 - 12 cm / 4 - 5 inches).

As well we were able to find some species of Lecanopteris, the very nice looking ant ferns. Among those, there were 2 species of which I never had seen any pictures before (Lecanopteris holttumii and Lecanopteris darnaedii). Besides of that we found a new Drosera species (which I was informed will be published by someone else already now), a new species of an "Enzian"and other interesting ferns and plants. Besides that we had the luck to see interesting animals like Tropidolaemus wagleri, Tarsius spectrum (spectral Tarsier) or a new species of Diplopoda.
I have added some 60 pictures to my homepage (only Nepenthes species so far) and will add the other pictures within the next few weeks.

Below a few samples:




















www.nepenthes.ch/pic_sulawesi/pics/thumbnails/052.N_maxima.jpg
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If you like to see more pictures or pictures in a better resolution please have a look on my homepage and enjoy the pictures:

www.nepenthes.ch/

[rsivertsen]

It's amazing to see the variability of N eymae, such as this one that has an uncanny resemblance to N. hurrulliana. I've seen some with very wide peristomes that almost hint of a N. veitchii influence.

Well done! - Rich

[Michael Catalani]

The lids on those eymae uppers are spectacular!

[Sockhom]

That's exceptionnal, Urs .

Don't you think the last tentaculata might be a hybrid between hamata and tentaculata?


François.

[chimanta]

Hello Francois

Thank you for your comment - I thought that you may like the pictures .

You just asked me the most feared question - tentaculata or hamata? :-)

I have read the thread about this topic and there seems to be much confusion about those species. so I have just put pictures on my homepage which I would think should be pure species, because I have made pictures of crossings as well.
But "erare humanum est" would say Asterix - I think:-)

Those particular plants were growing only close to N. tentaculata of a bit different shape but I could not see any "real" N. hamata close by. Much lower down (4 - 500 meters) were some N. maxima.

So when is a hamata a hamata an when is it a tentaculata? I think they are very close, but I'm not a Taxonomist and you are the Expert and so you are probably rigth!

I have also an N. tentaculata from Sulawesi in Cultivation (the clone from Malesiana) this peristom is also slightly ribbed.

Well the discussion is open again ;D

Best regards

Urs

[Sockhom]

Apr 2, 2008 15:23:26 GMT chimanta said:

Hello Francois

So when is a hamata a hamata an when is it a tentaculata? I think they are very close, but I'm not a Taxonomist and you are the Expert and so you are probably rigth!

Wow, wow, wow. You're really pulling my leg, Urs.

I'm not AT ALL any kind of expert. I am a french litterature teacher passionated by Nepenthes since... 2004 only!
I like to be called a Nepenthes student. I''m nothing more than that.

YOU are the expert, Urs. I have not your knowledge when it comes to plants in the field and in culture. I'm not the one who has been hanging around with Andreas and Joe ! (next time, do keep a place for me in one of your suitcases... ;D)

Anyway, i'm really wondering about these plants.
Tentaculata and hamata are so close that one has to wonder when tentaculata ends and when hamata begins.

It is interesting that you didn't notice any hamata around.

If these plants are indeed tentaculata (and not a hyrbid or even a new species) then it would be likely to stumble onto intermediate forms between this plant and what we would call a "regular" tentaculata, wouldn't it?


Thanks for sharing, Urs.

I still have some seedlings reserved for you by the way.


François.

[chimanta]

Hello Francois
Sorry I didn't want to pull your leg - I thought you are a biologist - so I must have mistunderstood something.

Anyway, I will discuss about this plant with Joe and Andreas and will have a better look at it again. However, there are even some people which says that hamata and tentaculata are the same species.

Some hybrids or "unarmed hamata's" (with much less distinct teeth) are indeed very confusing.

Thank you for reserving seedlings for me, probably we can meet in Italy at the EEE (I'm planning to go there at least for one day). Hopefully I will have some interesting seedlings for you as well until then

Best regards

Urs

[rsivertsen]

Perhaps what we are observing here is the genetic drift of these species instead of hybridization, as these populations seem fairly isolated; likewise with the N. eymae forms. - Rich

[Sockhom]

Apr 3, 2008 14:37:37 GMT chimanta said:

Hello Francois
Sorry I didn't want to pull your leg - I thought you are a biologist - so I must have mistunderstood something.

Best regards

Urs

Well, i take that as a compliment.
See you at the EEE.


François.

[chimanta]

Hello all

I have added now some other pictures of plants, animals and landscapes.
Cheers

Francois